Ramallah: The Palestinian Authority on Sunday warned that an Israeli government decision to register large areas of the West Bank as 'state property' amounts to a 'de facto annexation' of the occupied territory and a violation of international law. The warning highlights the escalating tensions and the potential impact on regional security and stability.
According to Anadolu Agency, the Palestinian Authority, through a statement carried by the official news agency Wafa, described the Israeli move as a 'blatant violation of international law and international legitimacy resolutions.' The statement emphasized that such actions threaten security and stability, marking a significant step towards annexation plans aimed at consolidating the occupation via illegal settlement expansion.
The statement further stressed that this move represents 'a termination of the signed agreements and clearly contradicts the resolutions of the UN Security Council, especially Resolution 2334.' This resolution considers all settlement activity in the entire occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, to be illegal. The Authority insisted that unilateral Israeli actions would not legitimize claims over Palestinian land nor alter the legal and historical status of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip as occupied territory under international law.
The Palestinian Authority has urged the international community, particularly the UN Security Council and the US administration, to intervene immediately to halt the Israeli measures and compel Tel Aviv to comply with international law to prevent further escalation.
In response, the Palestinian group Hamas condemned the Israeli decision as 'void' and issued by 'an illegitimate occupation authority.' The group sees this decision as an attempt to impose settlement facts by force, violating international law and relevant UN resolutions. Hamas vowed to continue opposing any annexation, Judaization, or displacement plans.
The group also called upon the UN and international parties to take urgent action to stop what it described as the occupation's aggression and ongoing violations against Palestinian rights, including their right to land, self-determination, and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital.
Earlier Sunday, the Israeli government approved a proposal to register large areas of the occupied West Bank as 'state property,' a measure not taken since Israel occupied the territory in 1967. This proposal was submitted by Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, Justice Minister Yariv Levin, and Defense Minister Israel Katz.
The Israeli newspaper Israel Hayom noted that the initial goal is the gradual settlement of 15% of Area C by 2030. Under the Oslo II Accord signed in 1995, land registration by the Palestinian Authority is restricted to Areas A and B, while Area C remains under full Israeli control.
This move is part of a series of measures approved by Israel's Security Cabinet aimed at expanding illegal settlement building and increasing control over the occupied West Bank. Israeli media reports indicate that these measures include repealing a law that barred the sale of land in the West Bank to Israeli settlers, unsealing land ownership records, and transferring building permit authority from a Palestinian municipality to Israel's civil administration.
Israel's intensified operations in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, have been ongoing since the military campaign in Gaza began on Oct. 8, 2023. Palestinians view these actions as steps toward formal annexation of the territory. In July 2024, the International Court of Justice declared Israel's occupation of Palestinian territory illegal and called for the evacuation of all settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.